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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Margaret M. Howard, known as Peg to her friends, passed away at home on Dec. 14, 2016.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 62 years, Ed Howard, and her son, Larry Howard.
She is survived by her daughter, Connie Taylor; son-in-law, Wayne Taylor; grandson, Gary Taylor; granddaughter, Staci Taylor; and two great-granddaughters, Amanda and Emily Weller.
She was a 40-year resident of Clearlake, moving from Concord, Calif., when her husband retired.
She made many dear friends over the years in Lake County, and began an O.A. Group at the then-Redbud Hospital with Candy Hagler in the 1970s. She kept score for the bowling team Ed belonged to, and cooked all the fish he could catch out of Clear Lake.
There will be a private service, and the family requests anyone wanting to honor Margaret at this time to send a donation in her name to Hospice Services of Lake County, 1862 Parallel Dr. Lakeport, CA 95453, telephone 707-263-6222.
Arrangements under the care of Jones & Lewis Clear Lake Memorial Chapel. Please share your loving memories of Margaret by signing her online guestbook at www.jonesandlewis.com .
The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released two annual reports on Friday that provide information about health care-associated infections, or HAI, and influenza vaccination rates among health care providers.
While California hospitals have made progress in preventing health care-associated infections, HAIs continue to be a significant public health issue in the state.
In 2015, hospitals reported 19,847 health care-associated infections to CDPH. From 2014 to 2015, 56 hospitals demonstrated significant improvement in preventing one or more HAI type.
Hospitals are making progress in preventing HAI with the exception of C. difficile diarrheal infections (CDI), which increased 8 percent since 2011. CDPH offered infection-prevention assistance to 73 hospitals with high infection rates.
The department’s influenza vaccination report indicates that vaccination rates among health care providers have improved in the past five years. Since 2011, vaccination rates increased 21 percent for hospital employees and 11 percent for non-employee health care providers, such as physicians or other contracted staff members.
Both the HAI and influenza vaccination rate reports include data reported by 392 licensed general acute care hospitals representing 419 campuses. The reports are on the CDPH Web site, and the data will also be made available on Dec. 19 on the California Health and Human Services Agency Data Portal.
Due to various factors in the way data are classified and validated, the information in this HAI report is not directly comparable to previous annual reports the department released. The report provides additional details about these changes.
Using data from these reports, CDPH created an interactive map for the public, Healthcare Personnel Influenza Vaccination in California Hospitals and updated the data for the My Hospital’s Infections Map.
“Hospitals can utilize the data in our HAI report to implement and improve infection-prevention strategies,” said Dr. Karen Smith, CDPH director and state public health officer. “This same information can help Californians stay informed about what their local hospitals are doing to protect against health care associated infections.”
Links to reports:
· HAI in California Hospitals, 2015
· 2015-2016 Healthcare Personnel Influenza Vaccination Annual Report
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around Lake County and the North Coast during the coming week.
Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.
LAKE COUNTY
Highway 20
– Pavement repairs from Sayre Avenue to Glenhaven Drive will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
MENDOCINO COUNTY
Highway 1
– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility repairs near Road 8067 beginning Tuesday, Dec. 20. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– The Harbor House has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to perform drainage improvements beginning Monday, Dec. 19. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 20
– Pavement repairs from the North Calpella Overcrossing to Road 260 will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect overnight from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 20-minute delays.
– Paving operations between a private road and the Lake County Line will begin Monday, Dec. 19. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
Highway 101
– Routine maintenance near Frog Woman Rock will continue. Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
– Emergency slide repairs just south of Standish-Hickey State Park will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
– Emergency slide removal work will continue. A full highway closure will be in effect with a detour onto State Route 271. Motorists should anticipate ten minute delays as they navigate the detour.
Highway 128
– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to perform tree work between Nash Mill Road and Anderson Valley Way beginning Monday, Dec. 19. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 162
– Geotechnical studies near the Middle Fork Eel River Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.
– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to perform utility work near the Town Creek Bridge beginning Friday, Dec. 23. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
Highway 253
– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to perform utility work near Robinson Creek Road beginning Monday, Dec. 19. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.
For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Participants in the 2016 Lake County Wine Auction raised their bid cards high at this year's event and generated a record breaking $135,000 for 27 local schools, organizations and charities.
The second highest distribution was in 2005, when $125,000 was given away.
Despite the pressure on donors because of last year's fires, their generosity continued unabated.
“These donations will be extremely helpful this year as many of our beneficiaries are still struggling because of fire-related losses,” said Kaj Ahlmann, auction board president.
Distribution of this year's donations took place at a festive event on Wednesday at the Saw Shop Bistro in Kelseyville attended by more than 40 representatives of the beneficiaries.
The 2016 Lake County Wine Auction, held at Cache Creek Vineyard and Winery, was a production of the nonprofit Lake County Wine Alliance, which is made up of local wineries, grape growers, related businesses and community sponsors.
Since its founding in 2000, the Lake County Wine Auction has raised $1,401,502.00 to foster true arts, benefit health services and otherwise support the local community.
Applications are now being accepted for proceeds from next year's wine auction to be held Saturday, Sept. 16, 2017.
Copies of the application are now available at the auction Web site at www.WineAlliance.Org .
The 2017 Lake County Wine Auction will once again be held at Cache Creek Vineyard & Winery at 250 New Long Valley Road in Clearlake Oaks.
Situated at the intersection with Highway 20, this facility is a premier gateway to this outstanding corner of the California Wine Country.
Hosts for the 2017 auction will be Don and Margie Van Pelt, owners of the Cache Creek Facility.
The event's success this year would not have been possible without valued sponsors: Calpine, Pacific Gas and Electric, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Lake County Winegrape Commission, Six Sigma Vineyard & Winery, Sysco Foods, Tribal Health, Mendo Lake Credit Union, Umpqua Bank, Bella Vista Farming, Boatique Winery, Cache Creek Vineyard & Winery, Saw Shop Bistro, Servpro, Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery, TricorBraun WinePak, Congressman Mike Thompson, Kelseyville Pharmacy, Brassfield Estate Winery, C-Line Express Trucking and Savings Bank of Mendocino County.
Distributions for 2016 were as follows:
• High school arts programs: $9,000 each to Lower Lake High School, Kelseyville High School, Upper Lake High School, Clear Lake High School and Middletown High School.
• People Services: $10,500.
• Any Positive Change: $4,500.
• Lake County Hunger Task Force: $3,750.
• Catholic Charities: $3,000
• Lake County Symphony Association: $5,250.
• Lake County Arts Council: $3,750.
• Friends of the Lake County Museum: $2,700.
• Friends of the Lake County Library: $7,500.
• Lake Community Pride Foundation: $4,500.
• Children's Museum of Arts and Science: $1,800.
• Lake County Literacy Coalition: $3,000.
• Lake County Sheriff's Activity League: $7,500.
• Yuba College Culinary Club: $4,500.
• Clearlake Gleaners: $3,000.
• Operation Tango Mike: $5,250.
• Sponsoring Survivorship: $4,500.
• County senior centers: $2,500 each to the Highlands Senior Service Center, Lakeport Senior Activity Center, Clearlake Oaks Senior Center, Lucerne Alpine Seniors, Middletown Senior Center and Kelseyville Senior Center.
Members of the Wine Alliance board are Kaj Ahlmann, Lower Lake, president; Judy Luchsinger, Lakeport, vice president; Sharron Zoller, Kelseyville, secretary; Rob Roumiguiere, Kelseyville, treasurer; and Marie Beery, Kelseyville, and Bill Groody, Kelseyville, directors.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The man responsible for a June hit-and-run that injured a child has been sentenced to state prison.
Andrew James Gravlee, 28, of Nice, received a five-year state prison sentence in Lake County Superior Court from Judge Andrew Blum on Monday.
Deputy District Attorney Ed Borg said Gravlee reached an agreement to plead guilty to assault likely to produce great bodily injury and a special allegation of personal infliction of great bodily injury. Gravlee originally had been charged with hit and run and reckless driving with bodily injury.
On June 26, Gravlee drove a 2015 GMC U-Haul pickup that hit a 2002 Honda Accord parked on the side of Highway 20 in Lucerne, as Lake County News has reported.
The crash caused the Honda to roll forward and hit a girl who was standing in front of the vehicle. Authorities said that the crash broke both of her legs and left her with lacerations.
Borg said that, after the wreck, witnesses saw Gravlee get out of the truck and look at the girl before he got back in the pickup and fled the scene. The injured girl later was flown by air ambulance to UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland.
The California Highway Patrol would conduct an extensive search by ground and with the aid of an agency helicopter for Redding before finding the pickup – loaded with appliances and furniture – later that day in the hills north of Lucerne.
The CHP said its officers would develop information that led them to conclude Gravlee was a person of interest in the crash.
Gravlee was arrested the following day after an alert CHP officer encountered him riding as the passenger in a vehicle that the officer had pulled over during a routine enforcement stop.
On Monday, the injured girl's grandmother gave a “pretty intense” victim impact statement to the court in which she recounted what her granddaughter has endured as a result of the crash, Borg said.
Borg said the grandmother explained that the girl has undergone surgery to repair a compound fracture, has suffered scarring about which she is self-conscious, and appears to be suffering from post traumatic stress disorder and agoraphobia.
Ultimately, despite what the family has endured, Borg said the girl's grandmother indicated that she has forgiven Gravlee.
Borg said Gravlee had a history of criminal violations primarily committed in Washington state, including a felony trafficking conviction. At the time of the June crash he was on felony probation.
Until this case, Gravlee had no strikes. However, Borg said the special allegation of personal infliction of great bodily injury makes the main charge of assault likely to produce great bodily injury a violent felony and therefore a strike.
Gravlee must serve 85 percent of the five-year prison sentence before becoming eligible for parole, Borg said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – During its last meeting of 2016, the Middletown Area Town Hall heard from the new District 1 supervisor-elect, got updates on projects and took nominations for its 2017 board.
The meeting took place Dec. 8 at the Middletown Community Center.
Shortly after the start of the meeting, MATH Chair Fletcher Thornton offered his congratulations to Jose “Moke” Simon III, who won the District 1 supervisorial seat in the November election. The final results were confirmed by the county's elections office two days before the meeting.
In addition to being grateful to those who supported him, Simon said he wants to earn the respect of people who didn't cast their vote for him.
“I am proud to be standing where I am today,” said Simon, who promised to work as hard as possible to rebuild the south county in the wake of the wildland fires and to develop it into the jewel it can be.
He offered kind words to the three people who ran against him, including Voris Brumfield and Jim Ryan, who were eliminated in the June primary, and Monica Rosenthal, who ran a close race with Simon in the runoff.
Simon said that the south county's rebuilding is his No. 1 priority.
To Jim Comstock, the retiring District 1 supervisor who he will succeed when he's sworn in next month, Simon said it's an honor to step into his shoes.
“I'm going to be bugging you all the time for advice,” Simon promised Comstock.
Simon said he'll steer his own course and is ready to roll forward.
In other business, MATH Board member Linda Diehl-Darms gave a brief update on her visit to the Cobb Area Council, a new municipal advisory council that was formed earlier this year.
There has been discussion at previous meetings about changing MATH's boundaries to exclude the area now covered by the Cobb group. However, Diehl-Darms said the Cobb council's chair told her that he had spoken to Thornton and that it was not necessary at this time to consider boundary changes.
Diehl-Darms said she subsequently sent out an email to the recently formed bylaws committee that there isn't a problem with boundaries overlapping and that no boundary changes are to be done at this time.
Thornton, however, said there is still a need for the committee to meet to clean up MATH's bylaws, work he expected to have the group start working on soon.
Also at the Dec. 8 meeting, Danielle Matthews Seperas of Calpine gave MATH an update on the community garden project on a Calpine-owned lot next to its Middletown Geothermal Visitor Center.
She said a large tree that sits on the lot, the canopy of which covers part of the proposed garden area, was damaged in the Valley fire. An arborist who examined it proposed that it be taken down, and Calpine's legal department won't OK the garden moving forward until the tree is removed.
The tree was scheduled to be removed the middle of this month, but after a woman at the meeting said the tree should be left in place, Seperas agreed to push back the date of the tree removal.
The group's Dec. 8 meeting also included brief updates on a safety improvement project on a portion of Highway 175 outside of Middletown and an area plan revision.
MATH also took nominations for its 2017 board. Marlene Elder was the only nomination at the meeting, while Thornton and Lisa Kaplan had been nominated at the November meeting.
Thornton said the board election will take place in January when MATH holds its first meeting of the new year.
Email Elizabeth Larson at